Rounding out the Endless, are Destruction, and Destiny. In Sandman things are rarely what you expect them to be. Ie: Death is a perky, optimistic young woman, and Dream is a dour, moody guy, that mopes around in a long black robe.

Likewise, the embodiment of Destruction is a laid-back, Zen-ish drifter. Although he wasn’t always. He had to work pretty hard to achieve calm. Which doesn’t mean he used to be a rageaholic, by all evidence he was pretty gregarious. I don’t want to go too much into his arc, because it us pretty interesting. So I’ll just get straight to his physical description. He is impossibly tall, and broad, with long red hair, and a beard. According to the Sandman Companion, the early inspiration for his look, was the English actor Brian Blessed. Who could open his mouth so wide when he laughed, that it looked like it took up his entire face. He is still working, so he could concievably do the part, but he is in his seventies now, and looking older than Destruction ever did. And Destruction’s final look never did look that much like Blessed. My top choice is Adam Baldwin

Even more than casting Summer Glau as Death, casting Adam Baldwin as Destruction, would have the Whedonites rejoicing. He has played any number of lovable, and not so lovable, sociopaths over the years. Lately he has become beloved in the geek world for two roles, col. John Casey on Chuck, and Jayne Cobb on Firefly. He is appropriately physically intimidating, for the part, and his hair could easily made the right color and length. He is a very good actor, he could play both the exuberant Destruction of the flashbacks, and the more subdued one of the present.

Destiny is probably the least interesting of the Endless (at least to me). He is also the only one not to have been created by Neil Gaiman. He is a character that had been knocking around the DC universe since the early seventies. He really doesn’t have much of a personality. His job is to observe everything that happens, and make sure it goes down exactly as written in his book. Which is pretty easy, as everything that happens, has happened, and will happen is written in the book. Including him reading the book. He doesn’t have opinions, or preferences, or emotions. His main physical characteristic is a long brown cloak, with a hood that is always drawn down over his eyes. Since his eyes are never shown, and he is described as being blind (although he still reads, and moves in a way that proves it is not a hindrance), it is possible that he doesn’t have eyes. The other main feature, is the enormous book that is always chained to his wrist.

Given that you don’t see his face, and that he doesn’t need to posess much charisma, you could put just about anyone under the hood, and it would work. So I’m going with Bill Nighy, just because I like him.

It almost seems a shame to hide that much charm under a cloak, but he can do restrained and aloof as well. Maybe he can even manage to make the character a little less dull.

Up next a few prominent dreams.

I’m not going to link to the previous posts anymore since there are too many now. They should all be available on the main page, or by clicking the tags.

One Response to “Dream Casting, Sandman Casting Call Part 6: Tail End of the Endless”

I like Bill Nighy, too!
And of course I endorse Adam Baldwin as Destruction. I would not have though of him based on hair color and girth of the Blessed-based image, but he could definitely pull it off.